T.I.’s New Album “Is Gonna Be Bigger Than Paper Trail,” Drumma Boy Says

T.I. has been hard at work since he was released from a halfway house late last month—releasing four songs just last week alone—and one person that’s witnessed the grind firsthand has been producer Drumma Boy.

“He called me in, it was just me and him in the studio—there was like one other cat in the room,” says Drumma, who produced 2 Chainz’s “Spend It” which T.I. tacked a verse onto for one of his four released. “At that particular time, he was out three days. I came in on the fourth day. [During] the three days that he had already been working, he cut 18 songs. I was like, ‘Wow!’ The third or fourth record that he played for me was the Big K.R.I.T. record [“I'm Flexin’”]. He played me about six or seven records and every last one of 'em was like crack. From top to bottom.”

As for how how “Spend It (Remix)” came about, it was a surprise to Drumma just like it was to the rest of the world.

“2 Chainz calls me out the blue like, ‘We got a surprise. I see you over there working for Tip. I got something for you,’” he recalls. “Next thing you know, they leaked it.”

The beatsmith behind hits like Young Jeezy’s “Lose My Mind,” Waka Flocka’s “No Hands” and DJ Drama’s “Oh My” told XXLMag.com that he initially played T.I. twelve beats, of which the Bankhead native chose eight. Then, earlier this week, he sent over another 15, in anticipation of a meeting T.I. was having with his label.

As for where the beats will end up, Drumma says a mixtape may be on the way.

“I think he should [do a mixtape],” says Drumma. “He’s always a fan of giving the fans music and just feeding the streets.”

And when the album comes, he has high hopes for that.

“It’s gonna be a phenomenal project,” he promises. “It’s probably gonna be a bigger album than Paper Trail.” —Adam Fleischer